Sudan army suspends participation in Jeddah ceasefire talks
Al JazeeraJun 03, 2023
The Facts
Sudan announced late Thursday that the UN envoy and key mediator in the country's conflict, Volker Perthes, is no longer allowed within its borders, declaring him "persona non grata," ahead of a new, US-Saudi brokered 24-hour truce that began on Saturday morning.
The German diplomat, who was in Ethiopia on Thursday for diplomatic talks, has been accused by Sudan's top military leader, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, of fueling the war that broke out in mid-April between his troops and General Mohamed Dagalo's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
Not only has Perthes failed to achieve the integration of the RSF into the military — one of the primary negotiation goals of the last two years — but he has somehow figured out a way to disappoint the army, civilian political actors, resistance committee activists, and the Sudanese people simultaneously. Perthes' role as chief UN diplomat has made everyone worse off.
Pro-establishment narrative
This declaration is a slap in the face to the entire UN mission, which has sought only the best outcome for all Sudanese people after the two rival Sudanese generals dragged the country into a war in mid-April. Additionally, Khartoum has violated its obligations under the UN charter, as the doctrine of "persona non grata" does not apply to UN personnel.
